1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, for example, an inkjet printer, for forming an image on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, terminal devices such as personal computers have become popular, and printers for printing image information including character information made by such terminal devices as documents have come into widespread use. In image forming apparatuses such as printers, feed trays for storing paper sheets are usually attached in a detachable manner. In addition, in image forming apparatuses which perform a print operation by the inkjet method, ink tanks are also attached in a detachable manner so that they can be exchanged. In the image forming apparatuses, the print operation is performed while the feed tray which stores the paper sheets is attached to the main body. In the print operation, the paper sheet is supplied from the feed tray, an image is printed on the paper sheet, and the printed paper sheet is output through an output hole formed in the main body. The user must supply the feed tray with paper sheets and exchange the ink tanks as necessary.
In the known image forming apparatuses, the feed tray is attached to, for example, the exterior of the main body. However, in such image forming apparatuses, the quality of paper sheets is easily degraded while they are being stored. Even when the feed tray is disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, there is a risk in that dust will enter the main body since the output hole, which is continuous to a printing section including a print head, etc., is not covered. As a result, dust collects on, for example, nozzles of the print head in the main body, and the risk that the print failure will occur and the number of times the nozzle maintenance is required are increased. Thus, sufficient reliability cannot be obtained.
On the other hand, recently, networks in which audio/visual (AV) equipment and personal computers are connected to each other have been under development. In view of such a situation, the image forming apparatuses, such as printers, which serve as peripheral equipment of the personal computers, are preferably used while they are stored on a rack, etc., together with other AV devices. Generally, AV devices have a stackable structure so that they can be easily stored on a rack, etc., in an orderly fashion, as represented by an arrangement of a television set and a video deck.
However, unlike other AV devices, the image forming apparatuses do not have a stackable structure such that an object can be put on the top. Therefore, the image forming apparatuses require a large storage space. As described above, in the image forming apparatuses, paper sheets must be supplied and the ink tanks must be exchanged as necessary. However, if the image forming apparatus is stored on a rack, it must be taken out from the rack in order to perform such maintenance, which requires complex work from the user.